Hundred – Episode 4 [Bodyguard]

(Yes, it’s episode 4 for real this time! ^^;;  Sorry for my mistake last week.)

5 seconds in aaaaand fanservice. I didn’t think that the ecchi factor could be upgraded much after the last episode, but as usual I was wrong. I have much to learn still when it comes to ecchi series it seems.

The episode begins with a training battle between Hayato, Emilie, and their two friends. Hayato is learning to keep his Variant under control in battle, and has almost been able to successfully control it. Their fight ends, and right then Claire summons Hayato to her office.

In a nutshell, Hayato’s been recruited to be the bodyguard for the Diva of the World, Sakura Kirishima. Her concert has been rescheduled, and she needs a bodyguard for a couple of days. However it appears there is a chance that some Savages are still loose and hiding on the Zwei Islands somewhere, so if Hayato accepts the mission there is a risk of a battle. Hayato chooses to accept the mission, on the condition that his sister can get a ticket to Sakura’s concert. Awww, what a nice big brother.

Hayato goes to visit Karen in the hospital, where he tells her the exciting news. She’s happy Hayato (well, Clare technically) got her a ticket, and asks him to try to get Sakura’s autograph for her. Before he leaves, she reads his fortune and tells him to be careful of “women and water.” Since this is an ecchi, you can take a guess where this might go, ne?

In the morning, Hayato wakes up to find Emile Emilia in bed beside him. She hasn’t changed the code on her PDA so she can still get into his room. She wants to go for a date with Hayato, but he has to leave early for his mission so it’s a no go.

Hayato meets Sakura, and she appears to be a cheerful person, all smiles and laughter. It’s obvious that Hayato has never been a bodyguard before, even without him telling her so, and she is patient when he makes mistakes. They get to their hotel, where Hayato accompanies her to her room so she can get prepared for the day’s scheduled events.

However, Sakura throws Hayato a curveball: she wants to get married! Or at least date with the idea of getting married in mind. She thinks that the media would love their relationship, the Diva of the World and the Genius Slayer together and in love. It makes me a little sad to be honest, Sakura thinking of using her relationship as a means to get more publicity. Hayato is initially overwhelmed, but then he- *fake gasp* He takes the initiative and calls her bluff? You mean he’s not letting her walk all over him? Hot damn, it only took 2 shows to have this happen.  Sakura backs off and takes a shower while Hayato waits outside.

Later Sakura asks him to bring her PDA into the bathroom, and cue the first second ecchi scene of the episode. After she gets changed, Sakura and Hayato rejoin Sakura’s assistant Souffle and they begin the day’s events. She’s got a press conference, and meetings with important people. Everyone seems to love her. When they’re done for the day, Sakura takes Hayato on a little detour.

There she shows him the stage for her upcoming concert. It’s massive; 100,000 people are expected to attend! But it’s her other surprise which catches him off guard: Sakura is a Slayer too! Just then Char and Mei-Mai show up, and Char explains that Sakura’s field-control type of Hundred is very rare. She can use her energy to fly around and create illusions, but she can’t create any weapons, hence the need for a bodyguard. Souffle and Char also share that they used to be colleagues, and that Char once saved Sakura’s life.

Later that night, Hayato gets a call from Claire. She summons him to her summer home in the morning, for she has something she wants to talk to him about. Hayato decides to take a bath afterwards on Little Garden, thinking that everyone is still on Zwei Island. However Emilia is inside, and she talks him into sharing a bath with her (facing away from each other, naturally).

Emilia asks him about his first mission, and gets jealous over the casual way he refers to Sakura. Emilia gets Hayato to call her by her real name, then asks him to look at her scar. For about 5 seconds, then he magically becomes a pervert. :/   Hayato invites Emilia to island to spend time with him before he resumes his mission the following afternoon, and Emilia gets so excited she knocks them both underwater (calling him a pervert again for seeing her naked).

At the very episode, we’re introduced to the baddies. They are a trio who look like they may possibly be Variants too? And they use Savage blood in some way?

Also, new ending song! 😀  (“Tabooless” by M.A.O, Rika Kinugawa, and Yui Makino)

My thoughts: I like ecchi harems, but sometimes it makes me a little sad how the main male character often gets shit all over by some female characters. Both bathroom scenes in this episode are a perfect example of that – Hayato does everything asked of him, with no ill intent, and yet he gets yelled at and accused of being a pervert. It’s an old trope, one I tire of easily. But I guess it’s pretty standard fare for these shows no?

Sakura’s alright as a character. I don’t love her yet but I don’t hate her either. Her Hundred is awesome though. If I could pick any Hundred to have from the show which we’ve seen so far, it would be Sakura’s hands down.

I’m glad we’re finally being introduced to some antagonists. We’re 1/3 of the way through the season, so it’s about time. I can’t wait to see what they have planned.